A Litte Scared

Well at the beginning of the month I was on a countdown. I could not wait till I was back in "civilization." However now that I am on the final stretch I am getting this uneasy churning in my stomach.

I have know for a while that teaching is not the career I am going into. I know that staying on another year would not probably be a good move for me. If my career was teaching I would may think differently. This year has been incredible in so many ways. However, I feel that without the zeal for teaching itself it would be very hard to do another year.

This year has taught me so many things. It has made me a stronger individual. I am more confident and also more independent. I have met my breaking points and survived them. Of course all of these things were only possible through leaning on God.

As I begin to look to the future I must admit I am quite scared. I am heading back in to what my mind envisions as a mold. A mold of what my friends, family, and even I realize me have made. I am so uneasy because I know what I have become will not fit the mold. I do not know that I necessary want to change a whole lot, but I know I will need to adjust back. I guess that is what life is all about is adjusting to your changing surroundings.

Here I have been saying how this year has made me grow up so much and deal with things. However, I guess in someways it has helped me avoid and put other things off. I know that when I get back home I will have a lot of decisions to make. This year has given me a break from them, but has not made them disappear. I am really scared of messing up and making the wrong decision.

I just wish I could be the person my kids think I am. They tell me there is no reason for me to go back to school because I know everything. They think I know exactly what to do. Lol if only.

Well I guess each part of life has its challenges. I really liked how one of Jaimie's friends that is visiting her right now put it. She was a student missionary last year. She said that the whole student missionary experience begins in the preparation carries on in getting to your destination, getting used to the place and carrying out the year, and also includes that adjusting back home. I know she is right. I just am a little uncertain.

God has got me through this year and I know He has the perfect plan for me after this year. My mom said she believed this year was preparing me for something else, so I say, "God lead me on! My only prayer is that You stay by my side and give me the strength I need."

Australia!

Well I decided I better write this blog before I forget the little details of our trip to Australia. Our school drama group named REAL (real christian theater) decided to go to Australia this year for our off island tour. We left on May 14 in the afternoon and arrived in Cairns, Australia around midnight.

We stayed at a beautiful hostel. Now I know what your are thinking. How in the world can beautiful and hostel be in the same sentence. However, this hostel really was, they had palm trees and all kinds of other tropical folliage that they had planted around the place. They had a clean medium size pool that even had a little fountain/ waterfall thing that ran into it. The whole set up of the place was very well thought out. Also their personel was very accomidating and helpful. We needed to switch rooms in the middle of our stay and they ended up switching us from one room into two new ones for no extra charge. Also when I had trouble with my scuba plans the girl was right on the ball and got me with another company and had a taxi waiting for me to take me away!

On Friday we had our first school presentation. The school in Cairns is quite small with about 50 kids from grades k-6. However, they also have a very nice and spatious campus. They have a computer for every student! After our performance we headed to the zoo where we had fun feeding kangaroos, watching crocodiles devour meat, and holding Koalas! That night we were graciously feed at the beach by one of the church families and then we went and did one last performance at a nearby town.

Sabbath was actually our busiest day with 3 performance. However, it was great to mingle a bit with the Cairns youth group. We were invited to perform one of our skits on a local radio station, so about 7 of our group when to the station and answered a few questions and did the skit.

Sunday I ended up taking off to do scuba. After my original dive company that I had booked online did not pick me up (they went to the wrong hotel) as I mentioned before the front desk lady ended up getting me with another company. I raced to the dock and got there with only a little bit of time to spare. I ended up doing two dives. The coral was amazing, I touched a turtle and a 4 foot long fish, saw a sting ray, and some huge sea slugs. It was a great experience!

Monday Jaime, Michi (a SDA student) and I ended up heading up to a cultural village where we did a bit of shopping. We met a two older ladies that we helped to find their way up and down from Kuranda ( the cultural village). The funny thing was that when I got to talking to one of them I found out that one of her relatives lived about an hour from where my family do and she had just been up there last summer! That night it was back to the airport where we caught our midnight flight and go back into Saipan at 8:00 the next morning where I ran to class and taught for the day and then went home and crashed :)

It was an incredible trip and I would love to go back again and spend more time exploring! Australia is WONDERFUL!!!!

My Kids...

Well as the last days draw closer. I find myself becoming more and more aware of my attachment to my kids. I thought it would be fun to give you a sneak peak into our classroom...

This is our art class when we decided to make calashes. (don't know how to spell that)

Enjoying the simple things in life :)

Our coloring wall for March...

These are our reporters on the scene of a volcano that just errupted!!!

Enjoying the amazing animals at the Saipan Zoo!

My little family :) I love them!